Build me a son , O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid;
One who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.
Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone
should be;
A son who will know Thee and to know himself is the foundation
stone of knowledge.
Lead him , I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under
the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge.
Here let him learn to stand up in the storm, here let him learn compassion for those who fail.
Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high
;
A son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will learn to laugh , yet never forget to weep;
One who will reach into the future , yet never forget the past.
And after all these are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of
humour so that he may always be serious yet never take himself too seriously.
Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity
of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.
Then I, his father, will dare to whisper "I have not lived in
vain."
